Quick release rope hanger



Nov. 29, 1966 c. WELTON 3,288,112

QUICK RELEASE ROPE HANGER Filed Aug. 29, 1965 IN VEN TOR.

Charles L. Wehon ATTORNEYS l United States Patent 3,288,112 QUICK RELEASE ROPE HANGER Charles L. Welten, Saratoga, Wyo. Filed Aug. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 305,437 6 Claims. (Cl. 119-110) This invention relates -to cattlemcns equipment and more particularly to a hanger for holding a lasso rope on a saddle, a primary object of the invention being to Iprovide a novel and improved rope hanger for a saddle which is characterized by the ability to securely hold a lasso rope in place on the saddle and to provide for a quick release of the rope whenever it is needed. As such, the invention will be hereinafter referred to as a quick-release rope hanger, and simply as a rope hanger.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved quick-release rope hanger for a lasso rope which may be easily aflxed to a saddle at any convenient lposition on the saddle as will suit the needs and desires of the user.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved quick-release hanger for a lasso rope for use in combination with a saddle, which may be opened easily to receive a lasso rope which will then snugly and securely hold the rope in place without the need of lixing any buckles or tying any straps and which will subsequently release the rope whenever the rope is lgrasped and lifted therefrom.

Further objects of the invention are to provide `a novel and improved quick-release rope hanger for a lasso rope which is a simple, neat-appearing, low-cost, rugged and durable unit.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, all of which more fully hereinafter appear, my invention comprises certain constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts and elements as hereinafter described, defined in the appended claims and illustrated, in preferred embodiment, in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of a saddle with the improved rope hanger mounted thereon adjacent to the saddle fork.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the saddle, as taken from the indicated arrow 2 at FIG. l, but on an enlarged scale, showing the improved rope `hanger with a coiled rope being carried therein.

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the rope hanger per se as taken from the indicated arrow 3 at FIG. 2, but on a further enlarged scale.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional elevational view of the hanger as taken from the indicated line 4 4 at FIG. 3, and with broken lines indicating the manner in which the hanger is pulled to open it to receive a coiled rope.

FIGURE 5 is an exploded isometric view of the individual components forming the hanger.

The cattle raising industry still relies upon the horseriding cowboy to round up, drive, and work cattle especially in the western sections of the country where open range still exists. The cowboys saddle and his lasso rope are among the important tools of his trade. Usually a cowboy will use his lasso rope while riding and ordinarily, he will coil and carry his lasso rope upon the saddle as by hooking it over the saddle horn when it is not in use. If the rope is not to be used for any length of time, he may tie the coil rope to lhis saddle with thongs provided on the saddle for such purpose.

The above described practice is not entirely satisfactory for upon many occasions the cowboy may work for substantial periods without needing the rop-e and then need the rope very suddenly. He is faced with one of two inconveniences. Either, he will be required to carry ICC a coiled rope on the saddle in a loose, insecure manner, as by hooking it over the horn, for a long period of time; or if he lashes the coiled rope -to the saddle, he will have to pause to untie the thongs before the roLpe can be used.

The present invention was conceived and developed to eliminate such disadvantages which every cowboy is aware of. The invention comprises in essence, a selfsupporting, resilient, hook-like hanger which is normally closed against the side of a saddle but which may be pulled opened easily to receive a coil of the rope. It will then securely hold the rope coil in position upon a saddle, and it may be subsequently opened to release the rope by a simple upward tug of the rope, as when a rider lifts the rope from its hanger.

Referring more par-ticularly to the drawing, the improved hanger is adapted to be used upon and in combination with a saddle 11, and it is contemplated that the hanger 10 will be secured to the fork 12 of the saddle at any position which the owner of the saddle deems best for his purposes. The hanger 10 is formed as a resilient, arched member having an enlarged base portion 13 which is adapted to be secured to the wall of the saddle fork 12 by suitable mounting screws 14. The body of the hanger 10 is adapted to upstand from this base 13, and it is `arched outwardly from the Wall of the saddle but with the top portion 15 being turned inwardly towards the wall to lie adjacent to and even contact the wall `of the saddle in the closed position. Thus, the body of the hanger forms a hook-like structure which is normally closed. However, it may be opened to receive and hold a lasso rope 15 as in the manner clearly illustrated at FIG. 2.

A :preferred construction of this hanger 10 is illustrated specifically at FIGS. 3, 4, and 5. The primary component thereof is a concealed spring strap 17 of spring steel, or the like, which has a fairly substantial strength, and which shapes the hanger. This spring strap 17 will permit the hanger to resiliently yield to open, kas will be hereinafter described. This spring strap 17 is aixed to an edge of a circular base washer 18 which is preferably a rigid member having suitable holes 19 therein which register with Corresponding holes 19a in the spring strap 17 to accommodate connecting rivets 20 which fasten the components together. This washer also includes -a pair of spaced orifices 21 to receive the mounting screws 14 as hereinafter described.

This spring strap 17 is enclosed within elongated leather pads including an under pad 22 and a cover pad 23 which are sewn together under and over the spring strap 17 zby suitable stitching 24 as illustrated at FIG. 3. YThe under pad 22 is the shorter member with its lower end terminating at the base washer, while the cover pad 23 is extended downwardly and is widened at its bottom head section 25 to overlie both the spring strap and the base Washer 18. This bottom head section 25 is formed with suitable orifices 21a therethrough which lie in registration with the orifices 21 of the base washer 18 to receive the mounting screws 14.

Where the hanger is to be aiiixed to the side of the fork 12 of the saddle, these mounting screws 14 may be protected 'by washers 26, and they may be easily driven into the rigid material of the saddle. Where the -unit is to be located on other portions of the saddle, rivets or other means, not shown, may also be used for this purpose if desired.

A pull strap 27 is located at the upper end of this hanger. The strap `is affixed to a ring 28, as Iby a rivet 29. The ring, in turn, is carried on a small hinge clip 30. This clip 30 is formed as a at member with an offset hinge roll 30a at one end and an anchor hole 31 in the face of the member. It is adapted to be positioned upon the end of the spring strap 17 with the anchor hole 31 being in registration with .a corresponding hole 31a at the end of the strap 17. So positioned, the hinge roll 30a extends through a slot 32 in the outer cover portion 23 of the unit. To provide a secure assembly of the cover over the spring strap 17 and to hold the clip 30 and the cover pads 22 and 23 in place, orifices 31h and 31C extend through the cover pad 23 and the lunder pad 22, respectively, to also lie in registration wit-h the Aorifice 31 in the spring strap 17. A connective rivet 33 is passed through these orifices 31h, 31a, 31 and 31C to hold the assembly together.

Use of this hanger after it is secured upon a saddle is very simple. It is opened by merely pulling the strap 27 outwardly to flex the body of the hanger .as indicated in broken lines at FIG. 4. This is sufficient to permit a coiled lasso rope 16 to be placed in the crotch between the hanger and the side of the saddle as illustrated at FIG. 4. The pull strap 27, when released, permits the spring strap 17 to return to the holding position with its upper end being against the saddle. When the lasso is needed for |use, the rider simply grasps the rope coil near the hanger and pulls the coil upwardly to release it. After he is through with the rope, he recoils it in an ordinary manner for subsequent use and returns it to the hanger.

I have now described my invention in considerable detail, however, it is obvious that others skilled in the art can devise and build alternate and equivalent constructions which are nevertheless within the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence, I desire that my protection be limited, not by the constructions illustrated and described, but only by the proper scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

'1. A quick release hanger for holding a coiled rope on the fork of a saddle adapted to be afiixed to the side of the saddle and comprising in combination therewith, a strap of spring steel formed as an arched member with one end thereof constituting a base and the opposite end constituting the top, means for securing the base thereof to the wall of the saddle with the tbody of the spring strap upstanding therefrom, with t-he arched portion curving outwardly from the saddle wall at the base and with the upper portion arching back and inwardly to place the top against the side of the saddle whereby to form a normally closed arc outstanding from the wall of the saddle which is adapted to hold a coil of rope and to be resiliently opened to release the rope by pulling the top outwardly and away from the saddle wall and a leatherlike covering protectively encasing the strap.

2. The hanger defined in claim 1, wherein said covering consists of flat, leather strips which are joined together at their edges to form a pocket wherein the strap lies.

3. The hanger defined in claim 1, including a pull strap affixed to the spring strap adjacent to the top edge and is adapted to facilitate opening the spring strap and by pulling it outwardly.

4. The hanger defined in claim 1, wherein t-he top portion of the spring strap is arched to resiliently hold the top against the wall of the saddle and where the adjacent top portion of the spring strap contacts the side of the saddle at an acute angle to permit a coil of rope to pull the spring strip outwardly and away from the saddle by an upward pull on the coil of rope to permit quick release therefrom.

5. In the hanger defined in claim 1, wherein said securing means includes a flat washer, having a diameter.

substantially larger than t-he strap width, afiixed to the base portion of the strap and being adapted to lie flatly against the wall of the saddle and to protect the saddle material from excess pressure of the edge of the steel strap when it is pulled outwardly from the saddle.

6. A quick release hanger for holding a coiled rope at the side of a saddle fork and comprising in combination therewith: a spring steel strap enclosed by a protective leather-like material, said strap -being shaped as an arched member with one end constituting a ibase portion thereof, and the other end constituting a top portion; a washer having a diameter substantially larger than the strap width attached to the base portion of the strap and having orifices therein adapted to permit it to be attached to the side of the saddle when placed thereon, with the base portion of the strap lying fiatly upon the washer, said strap being formed to turn an arch outwardly from the point of connection to the washer to extend upwardly and thence inwardly with the top thereof extending at least to the plane of the washer and being thereby adapted to contact the wall of the saddle above the washer, and a pull lstrap fastened to the spring strap adjacent to the top thereof adapted to be pulled outwardly to open the top for replacement or release of a coiled rope.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 466,932 1/1892 Cornell 24-129 2,185,082 12/1939 Hooks 24-129 2,308,166 1/1943 Fulton 24-237 2,746,112 5/1956 Simon 24-129 2,791,054 5/1957 Gronek 43-25.2 2,985,138 5/1961 Fortin 119-110 SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

ALDRICH F. MEDBERY, Examiner. 

1. A QUICK RELEASE HANGER FOR HOLDING A COILDED ROPE ON THE FORK OF A SADDLE ADAPTED TO BE AFFIXED TO THE SIDE OF THE SADDLE AND COMPRISING IN COMBINATION THEREWITH, A STRAP OF SPRING STEEL FORMED AS AN ARCHED MEMBER WITH CONSTITUTING THE TOP, MEANS FOR SECURING THE BASE THEREOF TO THE WALL OF THE SADDLE WITH THE BODY OF THE SPRING STRAP UPSTANDING THEREFROM, WITH THE ARCHED PORTION CURVING OUTWARDLY FROM THE SADDLE WALL AT THE BASE AND WITH THE UPPER PORTION ARCHING BACK AND INWARDLY TO FORM A THE TOP AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE SADDLE WHEREBY TO FORM A NORMALLY CLOSED ARC OUTSTANDING FROM THE WALL OF THE SADDLE WHICH IS ADAPTED TO HOLD A COIL OF ROPE AND TO BE RESILIENTLY OPENED TO RELEASE THE ROPE BY PULLING THE TOP OUTWARDLY AND AWAY FROM THE SADDLE WALL AND A LEATHERLIKE COVERING PROTECTIVELY ENCASING THE STRAP. 